CH 650

Everyone was shocked by the tale of the deceiving beauty, but the following content was even more astonishing.

The Demon King's army had attempted to rob the royal mausoleum in order to replenish their Death Knights.

To infiltrate the palace, they needed the assistance of Kono Lint.

Lint had helped the Demon King.

However, all the coffins were empty.

So they went to the imperial national cemetery, but all the corpses there had been replaced.

It was clear that something sinister was happening within the empire.

After replenishing the Death Knights from the underground tombs of the saints of the Holy Knight Order, the Demon King warned Lint not to investigate further as it might be dangerous, and then disappeared.

Heinrich couldn't help but widen his eyes at Kono Lint's words.

"That... was it you who did that?"

The incident that involved Ellen, Heinrich, Louise, and Ludwig.

In the end, the real culprit behind the case remained unknown.

Heinrich couldn't help but open his mouth at the revelation that the incident at the saints' cemetery was actually the work of Kono Lint and the Demon King.

He had somewhat suspected the Demon King.

However, it was shocking that Kono Lint was involved.

"So... it wasn't a good thing... but I thought it was necessary. I don't regret it."

Lint looked at Cayer.

"That brat is the cause of everything, but he didn't do nothing. He tried to do something. Like this now... unlike what I said last time. Reaching out to the allied forces like this... there must be a clear reason for it."

"Such a thing..."

Cayer couldn't see for himself that the one who did nothing tried to swallow everything.

Moreover, Kono Lint had even helped the Demon King to some extent.

Cayer was at a loss for words.

"You, but... huh..."

Erich, who had been still, stared blankly at Kono Lint.

Kernstadt's choice was for survival.

But Kono Lint spoke as if he trusted the Demon King.

It was a qualitatively different issue.

It would be cowardly to join the Demon King for the sake of survival, but trusting the Demon King and joining him could be seen as just madness.

"Surely, trusting the Demon King... is a bit strange. Yes. It can't be helped but to think that way..."

At Lint's words, Erich lowered his head.

"No, not that..."

As if it wasn't that perspective, Erich looked at Lint.

"How could you not have said anything until now?"

"…Huh?"

At Erich's unexpected words, not only the dumbfounded Cayer but also Heinrich nodded.

"I also find that the most surprising right now."

Even Cliffman said so.

Certainly, Kono Lint's ability itself was an ability, so he had many stories picked up here and there.

So whenever something happened, he habitually relayed information about what had happened and what was happening where.

It was inevitable to be astonished that such a person had kept such a big secret until now without any hint or expression.

"Are you saying... I'm tight-lipped now?"

Kono Lint was confused as he looked at his friends who were flustered by something that they should not have been.

"Didn't you know until now?"

"I can't stand it anymore, you bastards! What do you think of me?"

Kono Lint couldn't help but be outraged at being treated like a pushover.

A surprising fact to everyone.

Kono Lint was a man who knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Seeing the spectacle, Heinrich let out a bitter laugh.

Kono Lint had his own secret.

"I've met him too."

"...What?"

He thought he had disappeared without a trace, but that wasn't the case.

Surprisingly, Reinhardt had been sneaking around here and there. It was just that those who had met Reinhardt were keeping the secret.

"You too?"

Kono Lint couldn't help but be shocked as well.

"It's different from you. I didn't help him... rather, I received help."

"You received help?"

Kono Lint had to cooperate with the Demon King, half willingly and half unwillingly.

However, Heinrich's case was different.

But in this case, it was a very difficult subject to mention.

"...If it weren't for Reinhardt, I might have died."

Yes, because he had to talk about his brothers' deaths.

------

The topic Heinrich brought up couldn't help but be heavy.

Because he had to talk about a very distant past.

The story of when he was so young he couldn't remember, awakening his abilities and burning his brothers to death.

And being expelled to the Empire's temple as if driven out.

That's why he couldn't help but earn the hatred of his other brothers.

So that his friends could understand the situation in which his brothers tried to kill him, he had no choice but to tell the dark past entirely.

And the brothers who became jealous and hated him for becoming a war hero.

The letter from an anonymous friend, warning that he would be killed by his brothers.

The suspicion he heard from the Emperor, that he might be a bastard.

In the end, when the conflict reached its peak, Reinhardt came to find Heinrich.

He suggested they leave together, as he might be killed as things were. He said that he could explain everything and discuss what they could do together.

Heinrich didn't follow Reinhardt.

As he pondered whether to tell the truth about being a bastard, Heinrich couldn't help but tell about his mother, although he felt guilty.

Now was the moment to tell everything.

When his sister killed their brothers with her own hands, Heinrich learned that his older sister was actually his mother.

All of his friends who heard the story couldn't help but be shocked.

"Although Reinhardt didn't save me directly, he tried to save me. The actions I took because of that letter... ultimately made it possible for me to survive."

In fact, Heinrich was almost killed. Only Louise, who had spoken with the Emperor, knew that such an attempt would happen and stopped it.

Although Reinhardt didn't save Heinrich directly, if it weren't for that letter, Heinrich would have died.

"I don't expect you to understand, but the reason my sister... no, my mother, sided with the Demon King is... because she knows that."

She knows the Demon King tried to save her son.

That's why she could save him.

It's true that she made the choice for survival in a situation where she had to live.

But the fact that she knew the truth, that her son could survive to this day thanks to the Demon King, also played a significant role.

Because Louise had undoubtedly experienced something that could not be denied as the Demon King's grace.

Just as Louise thought.

Heinrich thought the same.

He had truly been loved.

The reason he had not died.

The fact that he had been able to live, and knew the truth that the woman he had believed to be his older sister, turned out to be his mother, and had pleaded with the king to spare his life, was all due to a letter sent by the Demon King.

It was difficult for everyone to bring up certain words.

The people he had believed to be his brothers were actually his uncles.

These uncles had tried to kill the boy they had mistaken for the youngest, who was in fact the son of their sister.

And the mother protected her son.

"I don't know how Reinhardt anticipated the circumstances under which I would die, but he... he certainly didn't want me to die. He might have tried to use me, but... No matter how I think about it, that doesn't seem right. And considering his actions towards you, Lint, he just... wanted us to be safe. He wanted everyone to be happy. Even though things didn't go exactly as he wished, he still hoped for it. That much is certain."

In the end, it was Heinrich who had first brought up the entire story, looking at everyone.

"Whether the real cause of the Gate incident was due to Reinhardt or not... Yeah, Reinhardt might have been wrong. Even if the Demon King does something, it's not certain that it will always lead to a good outcome. I know that too."

Whether the Demon King was right or wrong.

As in the past, it was still something they could not know.

Everything would be revealed by the outcome, and so it was meaningless to predict the result now.

"So, I never thought I would say this, but..."

When he had been treated like a stepping stone or a mere bonfire, Heinrich had sincerely wanted to kill Reinhardt.

That's why, it was most unbelievable for Heinrich himself to say these words now.

"I trust Reinhardt."

He had not revealed his name, but he had received a worried letter from a friend.

Now, he had to send a reply of trust in the name of friendship.

It was still unknown whether the Demon King was right or wrong.

But, he believed.

There had been too many incidents where he could not help but trust Reinhardt.

And so, he followed.

In order to survive, Käernstadt had chosen the Demon King, an explanation that could not be taken any other way.

But now that all the stories had come to an end.

Heinrich said he followed not to live, but because he trusted Reinhardt.

How long did the silence last?

"Me too."

Among those who had been silent, Kono Lint spoke.

"I also want to trust that bastard."

Someone, somewhere, as a prince, believed in the Demon King.

Someone, somewhere, as an ordinary person, believed in the Demon King.

Although people have their own statuses, does faith have a status?

------

Although those gathered here were special soldiers, they were ultimately no more than soldiers.

It was unknown how much their belief or disbelief in the Demon King would affect the overall situation.

However, the time had come when they needed to share such stories.

At this moment when everyone was choosing sides, regardless of their will, they had to stand somewhere.

Would they trust the Empire, or trust the Demon King?

Would the Empire survive, or would the Demon King survive?

It was merely a matter of choosing based on faith or survival.

"Regardless of whether we believe or not, are we saying that another war will break out after the Gate incident is over...?"

At Cliffman's words, everyone fell silent.

What Reinhardt wanted, whether they believed or not, was a separate matter.

In the end, as one cataclysm came to a close, there was no time to catch their breath before another storm began anew.

Not everyone could side with the Demon King.

Nor could everyone side with the Empire.

"Must we choose one of the two...?"

At Cayer's words, Heinrich shook his head.

"We can choose neither as well."

"...What?"

"Exactly as I said."

Choosing nothing at all.

"There are people who wish for both the Empire and the Demon King to disappear."

Choosing nothing could, of course, still be a choice.

"Then... what should we do?"

Erich asked.

What should they do?

Did they hope for the demise of everyone, whether they were cowardly or not, and regardless of their choices?

At Erich's question, Heinrich laughed bitterly.

"There's no way to know what to do."

It was merely retribution.

It was merely judgment.

Everyone would have to figure out what to do afterward. The guilty had to be judged and punished.

Heinrich knew that those who thought this way were their biggest enemies right now.

Cliffman, who had been silent, spoke.

"Heinrich, I have a question."

"...What is it?"

"Ludwig's arm."

"...Ah."

Cliffman asked.

"Is it related to the Immortal?"

He had undergone some sort of procedure.

Christina, Louis Ancton, and Anna, who were involved with the Immortals.

Something about Ludwig's atmosphere had changed.

At last, the pieces of the puzzle that had been missing seemed to fit together.

"Undoubtedly, it must be."

Heinrich nodded at Cliffman's question.

As long as they knew what an Immortal was, Ludwig's restored arm must be related to it.

So it couldn't be an ordinary arm, and Ludwig was not in a normal state either.

Everyone here would eventually have to make a choice.

The difference was whether they would choose to survive or choose out of faith.

Unlike the two who had already made their decisions, he was one of those who couldn't help but agonize over the choice.

"Could you, by any chance, relay a message for me?"

Cliffman said that.

------

Charlotte and I sat facing each other in the King's office, which had become the Regent’s office.

"Hmm..."

"Um..."

Both Charlotte and I had ambiguous expressions.

It was Charlotte who opened her mouth first.

"In truth, there isn't really a problem. Many unspecified people already know that we are involved in the allied forces, and there are factions that do not side with us. Our involvement was bound to spread throughout the allied forces."

"I knew that."

As Charlotte said, there were those who had reasons to keep the secret, but there were also those who had no reason to do so and knew about the involvement of the Demon King's allied forces.

Until recently, I thought that if such a fact spread throughout the allied forces, it could collapse.

In reality, just because the commanders cooperated with me to survive didn't mean everyone followed the commanders' decisions.

However, with the final battle looming and the majority of the actual forces being Immortals, even if the allied forces collapsed, there might not be a significant problem.

It was a matter of whether suspicion and discord would lead to division first or reaching the final battlefield first.

The current situation was the impossible coexistence of the Demon King's followers and the Empire’s forces

Fortunately, they were not far from the capital city of Riselen, Diane.

The divide would only come after the fall of Diane.

And the rumors of the Demon King's involvement had not spread too far.

One of those involved in the upper echelons had spread the rumor.

"I don't know about the rest, but this Heinrich guy, he didn't get beaten by his mother, did he?"

"...Perhaps."

Charlotte seemed to agree with my harsh expression, nodding her head.

In a sense, Heinrich had caused an accident.

"And what's with reporting the accident to his mother?"

"...Indeed."

Heinrich obviously knew that Kernstadt had decided to be on our side. In fact, it was neither me nor Rowan who brought in other small countries or minor factions, but Louise von Schwarz.

Because of that, she was exposed to considerable danger. She was essentially in a more dangerous position than Rowan, playing the role of a frontman on the front line, so it was only natural that she would be plagued by assassination threats.

Louise took all of that into account and continued to serve as our frontman.

In the midst of all this, Heinrich told his friends about Kernstadt's betrayal.

"Like you said, Charlotte... It's not a big accident since it was bound to happen eventually..."

"I can't say I don't understand. And Heinrich did it with your best interests in mind. The outcome seems to be good, too."

"That's true."

I couldn't say that I didn't understand Heinrich's feelings, nor could I say that his actions were necessarily foolish.

In the end, he was thinking of both me and his friends.

Heinrich probably wanted to prevent a situation where his friends would have to be hostile when they learned that the situation was rapidly changing.

And he likely wanted to represent my position as well.

Heinrich did what he did because he didn't want me to have to kill my classmates.

We shouldn't fight amongst ourselves.

But Louise would be flustered when her son directly informed her of what he had done.

Did he really get slapped by his mother...?

"The important thing right now isn't that."

Heinrich's actions were problematic in their own way, but as Charlotte had said, it was something that would be revealed eventually.

What Charlotte and I were worried about was not the fact that Heinrich had caused an accident.

I had received a message.

Since Louise had never met me in person, she had to go through Rowan to deliver a message to me.

In other words, her son had leaked the secret to his friends, and he went to his mother to ask if she could deliver this message to the Demon King. That was what he said.

And the person who needed to deliver the message was none other than the Holy Knight Commander Rowan, whom Louise personally despised.

The fact that I received this message meant that Louise had swallowed her pride and humiliation, asking Rowan to deliver the message.

"If he were my son, he would have really been slapped."

"..."

Charlotte seemed to agree with my words, nodding her head.

Heinrich...

You were lucky to be alive as a son...

You should have known what you were asking your mother...

So the message went from Heinrich to Louise.

From Louise to Rowan.

And from Rowan to me.

Heinrich's actions might have been a blunder, but the message had tremendous significance for me.

According to Heinrich's confession, it seemed Kono Lint had decided to side with me.

This was huge.

From Louise's perspective, her foolish son had caused an accident without any discretion, but for me, it was fortunate.

Kono Lint's decision to side with me greatly expanded the scope of the accident.

There were many more things I could do.

Erich and Cayer seemed to be contemplating.

And finally, Cliffman.

He had delivered a message to us.

It was not a politically significant message, nor one that would have a significant impact on the overall situation.

"It's not a problem for us to decide, is it?"

"Yeah, that's true."

But the judgment of the message was not something either Charlotte or I could make.

And whether it influenced the overall situation or not, it was by no means a light message.

I want to meet Liana.

That was the message Cliffman had sent.