Chapter 87. Let's Talk (2)
Sweat trickled down Felkhor's forehead as he gripped the shovel.
Only those who have dug their own grave could truly understand the terror of it.
Fear began to coil around his entire body like a snake.
His hands and feet trembled, and a cold sensation rose from his core.
With a faint hope, Felkhor cast a glance at Yulian's face.
Surely, this was a joke. Surely, it was just a plan to scare him.
But as he scrutinized Yulian's face with that false hope...
Damn it! The icy cold smile on Yulian's face showed no change.
"What are you doing? Your hands aren't moving."
Felkhor had no choice but to keep digging, spurred by Yulian's cold, unyielding voice.
With each shovelful of dirt, the shape of the grave began to take form.
Big enough for a person to fit.
As the depth and width increased, so did an indescribable fear, taking shape and approaching him.
'This is it.'
Felkhor's rational mind urged him to flee immediately.
He could die here if he didn't act. He had to overcome his fear and move.
But taking action was not easy.
'How do I fight that monster?'
The fear already ingrained in his body was not something he could easily shake off.
"Sir Yulian. P-please spare me. I'm innocent!"
Eventually, Felkhor's formal speech burst from his lips.
"All I was told to do was remove the resonance stone. I never heard about using a replica! If I had known, do you think I would have done it? I too was used..."
Thunk──!
Even as he was struggling to defend himself with a loud voice, Felkhor realized the shovel hit something solid.
'Huh? What is this?'
He was momentarily puzzled until Yulian's cold voice shattered his thoughts.
"That will be enough."
Felkhor stopped digging and stared at Yulian dumbfoundedly.
"Would you please bring 'it' out?"
Yulian's eyes urged him calmly.
"Y-yes, yes..."
Felkhor threw aside the shovel and hurriedly cleared away the dirt with his hands, revealing something.
"... A sword?"
What was buried was none other than a rusty, broken 'sword'.
***
When the broken sword emerged from the pit Felkhor had dug, I internally clicked my tongue.
It was a rusty, broken, pitiful piece that was hardly worthy of being called a sword. To others, it might have seemed like just some garbage, but...
'I expected this...'
This thing, still here?
To me, 'it' held significant meaning.
What was it?
This was none other than the sword used by Sword Saint Hayden Reich when he eradicated the organization "False Color Society" founded by the current archbishop Tenelon.
In other words, a noble and precious sword... Yet, jeez!
'Where did the prologue go!!'
〈"Let's Kill the Demon King Now"〉 is a game that centers around its story, naturally having a kind of 'prologue'.
After accomplishing the great feat of sealing the Demon God, the Sword Saint, resolute in never wielding the sword again, buries his used sword in the ground.
Hoping never again to witness such a tragedy.
However, that wish didn't last long.
Upon hearing of Tenelon's survival and establishment of 'Dawn Society' by chance.
Because of this, the Sword Saint returned to unearth and wield his sword once again, vowing to end the chain of misfortune.
That is the prologue every player sees when starting 〈"Let's Kill the Demon King Now"〉.
'A protagonist who hasn't even gone through it... can he... be called a protagonist?'
On top of that, the present actions of the Sword Saint make no sense in a string of incomprehensible events.
Even comparing all he's done so far to the story I knew, there was not a single connection.
'I cannot accept it.'
I nodded slowly, startled.
Inside this body of 'Yulian', I was astonished by such agreement with this feeling.
Despite being the notorious scoundrel 'Yulian', he too had to acknowledge it.
The Sword Saint must remain noble always.
Because the Sword Saint was always the goal of 'Yulian'.
Our madman, 'Yulian', lived with the purpose and direction of breaking that nobility to prove himself.
'... Insane bastard.'
It was an absurd goal, but I could understand this guy wanting to believe that the 'Sword Saint is noble'.
Because he's the protagonist.
The world revolves around a noble and luminously righteous protagonist, not some slit-eyed villain.
For that reason alone could I understand 'Yulian's emotional line this time.
Nevertheless, the protagonist, who had so passionately drawn me into the game, began deviating from the story bit by bit for some reason.
He hadn't appeared as a Black Knight.
He suddenly exiled himself to the Holy Kingdom.
'Hmmm. I guess I don't want to accept it either.'
What awoke me from my pondering upon seeing the sword the Sword Saint had used was Felkhor.
"W-what should I do with this?"
His voice was somehow filled with fear and trepidation.
"Give it to me. I'll take it."
When I extended my hand as a gesture to hand it over, Felkhor hurriedly handed the broken sword to me.
I carefully wrapped the small blade piece, now the size of a dagger, with a cloth and tucked it into my garments.
I wasn't taking it because it was 'the sword used by the Sword Saint' or even assigning some grand reason like 'Whoa! This metal has no equal in the world'.
I'm taking it because this broken sword is a preparation item needed to obtain a holy relic, the 'Bell of Silent Night'.
It's an excuse only the players would know.
'Seeing this sword here...'
Most likely, the Sword Saint...
"What should I do now?"
The rough-looking, big guy stood there with a pitiable expression.
I shifted my gaze back to Felkhor.
"What do you think should be done?"
Indeed, coming to this place was partially to secure this 'sword', but there was another reason.
"May I stop digging now?"
"Of course not."
I wore a faint smile on my lips.
"It's still too small for a person to fit."
I knew fully well how I appeared to Felkhor in this situation.
He was scared. He wanted to flee.
He couldn't even muster courage as he had no chance against me.
Then, it was only right to exploit him.
"A-as I said before, Aiden didn't inform me of anything! If a demon had derailed the train, I too...!"
"I expected as much. A man who finds Prince Eulsis' actions troublesome and shares a special bond with Aiden... Perhaps, it was Prince Caldrach de Adratan, the third prince, who instigated Sir Aiden."
The third prince appearing mid-to-late story is an aggressive and ambitious person who hates anyone threatening his position.
In fact, I had some suspicions when 'Aiden' made his move to hinder 'Eulsis's' actions.
Bishop Aiden weighs his gain between the third prince and the Dawn Society, only to meet his end at the hands of the Sword Saint.
'He likely intended only for a warning, but the one who magnified this situation...'
It would be Aiden.
Due to the butterfly effects surrounding me, with Gerard's fall, Aiden's status as "bishop" was also destabilized.
Which led him to play his hand forcefully.
"As of now, I am accompanying Prince Eulsis per the orders of High Pontiff Tenelon. Were you aware of this?"
"... Well, that..."
"Not knowing is also a problem. In any case, you've defied the High Pontiff's orders."
With each of my words, Felkhor's face paled further. His appearance did not suit his sturdy physique.
"So, you should be grateful. Before the Dawn Society can go through the official process, I am trying to protect Sir Felkhor's 'honor'."
Though I recognized it was sophistry, these poor words were sufficient to stifle Felkhor's spirit.
Facing extreme fear from all the digging, it would only be strange if it didn't work.
As expected, the 〈Color of Negativity〉 above his head began to glow more visibly.
A 'fear' so intense it was almost unspeakably dense.
"Phew, just kidding. Don't be too scared."
"... Huh?"
"I too am a person with 'compassion'. I'm not heartless enough to bury a clueless person alive."
"..."
In that silence, his head must be filled with thoughts like "damn bastard, crazy fool, son of a bitch."
Naturally, for 'me', not 'Yulian', the feeling of 'compassion' did indeed exist.
Although it didn't quite apply to a big bald guy.
"Now, Sir Felkhor."
I extended my hand out to Felkhor, who was in the pit. He hesitated, wondering if I had another agenda, but eventually took my hand, shivering as he climbed out of the pit.
'... He's heavy as hell.'
I discreetly rotated my shoulders so he wouldn't notice, and then offered him a new proposal.
"Sir Felkhor, how about we forget the past enmity and start anew?"
Honestly, there was no so-called enmity with this guy. The hostility Felkhor bore toward me was solely his own dissatisfaction.
The self-esteem and sense of defeat of a weakling.
Nevertheless, I spoke of 'our' enmity as if it needed resolving.
"Now that Alphys is dead, there's no reason for someone with your talent to declare loyalty to Aiden, don't you think?"
I feigned a sympathetic tone, commiserating with Felkhor.
In the prison of 'fear', he would feel certain emotions in response to my words.
Be it inspiration, anger, or whatever.
In either case, it didn't matter.
I had already laid the groundwork to psychologically dominate him.
It was bound for a 100% success rate.
As long as I could see the 〈Color of Negativity〉 above his head, failure was not an option.
"Consider it. Consider why he would proceed without informing you of this incident."
"Consider...?"
"Do you really believe Sir Aiden was unaware that Prince Eulsis was on the train? The fact he didn't inform you means you didn't matter even if you died, don't you think?"
Felkhor's expression shifted from conflict to despair.
His suspicions had been confirmed. His pessimism, in a dire situation, doubled.
Pat, pat.
I lightly slapped Felkhor's shoulder a few times.
Though 'Yulian' wouldn't have done such a thing, having lived in modern society, I knew it would help.
Fortunately, he seemed to interpret it as encouragement, and the 'fear' color visible above his head faded slightly.
"Discarding someone of your talent, who was once a member of the Imperial Grand Azure Lion Knights, a talent of such caliber... Sir Aiden is being foolish."
"Sir Yulian..."
That assurance meant even rough tones while mentioning his talent garnered some warmth in Felkhor's demeanor.
With tears welling up in his eyes, he gazed at me with a look full of admiration.
Certainly, I would take care of him.
If he followed me, a luminous future... Well, maybe not luminous.
In any case, the reason I spared this fellow up until now was exactly for this.
He would report to me Aiden's every move.
I sported a faint smile on my lips.
The same smile as before, but to Felkhor standing before me, it seemed comforting.
As though a warm glow shone upon me.
***
"Somehow, whenever you come to this place, it always stirs trouble."
The next day, waking up at "Blind Eyes'" accommodations in Vernidn, I was unexpectedly greeted by a smiling man
"Sir Oronil, have you been well?"
Here stood Oronil, the margrave tasked with the border town Vernidn.
The one owner of the forest... that was burned because of the tri-horned demon...
Keheuk. Let's forget about that embarrassing past.
"I prepared a carriage, coachman, and horses for your journey to Fernand. Spacious enough for your entire entourage. I've already spoken with His Highness Eulsis, so you needn't mention it separately."
"Thank you."
"Thankless matters; it's a royal command, after all."
Unlike before, Oronil harbored no animosity in his eyes. Back when I first arrived here, the atmosphere hadn't been like this.
"Is your daughter well?"
"... Thanks to you."
"That is good to hear. Seeing a child suffer is agonizing, after all."
I sincerely meant it, though Oronil seemed to perceive it differently, getting a stern look and clearing his throat before continuing.
"Though I, as a guardian with close ties to the Solarin, it's hard to believe His Highness Eulsis's actions."
"Is that so?"
"Isn't it essentially a death sentence? People there are sure to harbor enmity against the Empire, it could escalate to the flames of war with the slightest mistake."
I was aware. But what to do?
He's trying so hard to survive.
"But, if Sir Yulian is appointed as the guard commander, then maybe there's nothing to worry about."
During Oronil's talk, I sensed a slip in his words.
Why? A significant incident has already occurred, hasn't it?
"Regardless, please keep His Highness Eulsis safe. As someone who serves the Solarun, I also have vested interests."
Leaving his plea once more, Oronil turned to leave.
"... Are you familiar with the margrave?"
His figure completely out of sight, a sharp voice emerged from behind me.
It was Rinne, who also spent the night at "Blind Eyes'" accommodations.
"Lady Rinne, how was your sleep? I'm concerned as this place isn't really refined enough for someone of your stature."
"I've grown accustomed, following my master around. But still, let's not change the topic."
As blunt as ever.
"During the absence of Sir Yulian last night, someone from the Magic Tower managing the train came."
"Did they?"
They must have approached Rinne, finding it harder to confront royalty like Eulsis directly.
"Clearly there to demand payment for the separated train car but, after a talk with Margrave Oronil, they left with sour expressions."
"That's fortunate. It seems Sir Oronil managed it well enough."
"Yes, exactly."
'So, what kind of relationship do you have?' nudged Rinne's inquiry with a teasing reply.
"You could call me Margrave Oronil's 'lifesaver,' without exaggeration."
Listening to that, Rinne displayed a mix of numerous emotions.