Chapter 246 |
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“If it was all just an act… then…”
Deathbringer was the first to refute Berserk’s pointed question. He had so much to say that his words came out fragmented, stopping at several points before continuing.
“If that had all been an act, what could he possibly have gained from it? He took down a corrupted dragon, saved an entire region from being destroyed by a Demon’s scheme, and killed both the corrupted Skyflow Tiger and one of the Great Demons, you know? What hidden agenda could he have had?”
If left alone, the corrupted dragon would’ve poisoned the entire sea. The people of that region would have perished.
The same went for Jacrati. If he’d ignored what was happening there, the island would’ve become a haven for Demons.
And then there was the matter with the Skyflow Tiger and the Great Demon Moby Dick, who’d fused with it. If not for him, those corrupted Beasts and Great Demons wouldn’t have been stopped. Their survival would’ve evidently been much more advantageous for the Demons than their deaths.
He’d taken care of all those beings almost entirely on his own. So what hidden motive could he have had?
The Temple’s trust? If he’d gained it through his actions, they sure wouldn’t be treating him like this now.
The Hero’s trust? He got that in heaps, but what could he do with it? Betray her later? When he’d already been able to kill her ten times over?
The public’s trust? Expecting him to win over the people by doing this was seriously too much. How could he possibly win over their hearts with his temperament? He only knew how to provoke others. How could he possibly earn the support of the public like that?
“If Mister and Satan were truly working together, then what kind of idiot must Satan be just to sit back and watch all this unfold?”
“He might not be on Satan’s side. Didn’t that Demon itself actually claim not to take orders from Satan?”
“And you believe a Demon’s words?”
“I don’t. But I don’t blindly distrust them either.”
Berserk lifted her hands off the floor and straightened her back. Sigh. Someone’s sigh echoed through the tent.
“As someone who deals in information, you should know a story that’s ninety-nine parts truth and one part lie is far more convincing than one that’s entirely a lie.”
“…So are you saying it was the truth?”
“I’m saying it could be. If we assume it is, doesn’t that fully explain why the Demon Knight’s actions go completely against the Demons’ interests?”
Before Deathbringer could even properly breathe, Berserk was already staring into the tent with her cold golden eyes.
“Furthermore, if the Demon Knight really did lose his memories, how did he end up in that state? Someone who hasn’t forgotten even a single moment of his family’s demise wouldn’t just throw away his memories because of some basic incident.”
She genuinely sounded suspicious of the Demon Knight. Berserk, of all people.
Deathbringer felt suffocated by this unexpected distrust.
“I wanted to avoid saying anything at all.”
Thankfully, a new fighter entered the ring in Deathbringer’s stead. His long fingers held his red-rimmed glasses, wiping them clean on the hem of his coat.
“In times like these, shouldn’t you try thinking from the opposite perspective?”
“I think there’s a difference between what you want to believe and what you ought to believe.”
“Only thinking about what you want to believe is indeed foolish, but what about deliberately ignoring other possibilities just because you don’t want to think about them?”
With that, he threw out something more. “It’s true that the Demon Knight lost his memory. And the extent is quite significant as well.” It was the kind of affirmation Deathbringer had been hoping for.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t tell us?”
“The situation has changed. I had no intention of getting more involved… but now I want to know more. And for that, I need to cooperate with you.”
Deathbringer was a little taken aback, but Meister didn’t seem to care. He’d long abandoned any expectations of being understood by others.
“And I believe the cause of his amnesia was the Demon.”
He then began to explain his hypothesis.
Seeing Meister appear to know more about the Demon Knight than those who’d been by his side a lot longer made some of them bite their lips in response.
However, it didn’t end there. An indescribable sense of dread washed over them as the story of this man who’d burned his entire life for the sake of revenge unfolded before their eyes.
“Didn’t you ask this earlier? That if the Demon inside the Demon Knight had different intentions from Satan, there was still reason to suspect the Demon Knight is the Demon itself?”
“You said it differently, but that’s the gist of it.”
In the meantime, Meister continued to speak, Berserk nodding along.
“For the first point, I agree with you. The Demon inside the Demon Knight… Ah, it’s too annoying to say all that every time. Let’s just call it Wrath. It’s fairly certain that Wrath, whether for survival or some other purpose, isn’t on the same side as Satan.”
It was very clear that Wrath wasn’t Satan’s loyal servant. Whether because of that deal with the Demon Knight or something else, Wrath—considering it went up against another Great Demon—at least seemed to prioritize itself over Satan.
“But that doesn’t mean the Demon Knight and Wrath are on the same side. If the two truly had the same goal…”
“Are you trying to say that they would’ve killed us long ago? But what if there’s another reason for that?”
“That’s also worth considering.”
Maybe Wrath couldn’t use its full power… Or maybe it wasn’t actually that strong all the time, and a specific trigger or condition needed to be met for it to achieve that strength…
So it was possible the Demon was pretending to be the Demon Knight to avoid drawing hostility from people. That was also somewhat plausible.
“Still, I don’t think even you believe that’s the most likely explanation.”
The point Deathbringer had brought up earlier, that “he had nothing to gain from pretending,” was a strong argument against it, and it would be far too much of a “gamble.” What kind of Demon would go all in on a disadvantageous gamble like agreeing to get executed just to keep up the pretense?
“Even if you bring up another reason, it won’t change anything. Each would require a different set of circumstances.”
Well, let’s say the Demon actually was gambling with its life on the line, not caring whether the vessel died. That still didn’t explain why the Demon’s couldn’t unleash its full power, right?
In the end, no matter how you spun it, there was a central issue: something was preventing the Demon from acting like a Demon.
“Which is why I concluded that the Demon Knight is acting as Wrath’s suppressant. That much is certain. Well, in the worst-case scenario, he might not be just some poor soul the Demon is manipulating but a puppet it doesn’t fully control to make the act perfect… but if that were the case, there’s no way Grandfather wouldn’t have known.”
“Are you kidding? A puppet?”
“What if your grandfather knew and just let it slide?”
Just as Deathbringer was about to flare up again, hearing his Mister Knight almost get labeled a Demon’s puppet, Berserk spoke up again, calm as ever. She didn’t seem to care that the one before her was said person’s grandson.
The Archmage and Deathbringer, who were both aware of Meister’s temper, tensed up.
“If the Demon had gone berserk, everyone there could have died. Isn’t it possible your grandfather was aware of that risk and just let it go?”
“That’s not impossible.”
However, to their surprise, Meister coolly agreed, as if he’d already considered that possibility.
“What are you looking at?”
“…I thought you’d get angry.”
“Why would I get mad about someone asking a normal question? Considering the rather suspicious situation we’re discussing, isn’t it only natural to question these kinds of things?
“I-is that so?”
Of course, as that musclehead said, the possibility that his grandfather had just let it slide as a necessary evil to save everyone did make some sort of sense. It was a reasonable suspicion.
Various counterarguments could be made, but the suspicion was still perfectly valid, so he didn’t mind. Why would he be angry about that?
“The reason I hate those Temple fanatics isn’t because of their suspicions but because how they investigate and what they sell as evidence are insultingly stupid.”
“I see…”
Meanwhile, what suspicions was the Temple raising right now? That his grandfather had always been a heretic and that was why he’d released that Demon? How did that make sense? If Surging Azure Lake were indeed a heretic, this whole mess wouldn’t have turned out like this!
Ultimately, these were just baseless accusations made by thoughtless idiots out of severe ignorance. It would be even stranger if Meister weren’t furious about that.
“Their heretic trials are so stupid and cruel, yet those Temple bastards always do this bullshit—”
“Enough, enough. I get why you’re pissed off about that. So, is Berserk’s suspicion correct?”
“Don’t you know, Archmage? There’s no way that could be true.”
Meister waved his hand, clearly wondering why the world was full of such morons.
“If Grandfather let the Demon Knight go in exchange for him not killing anyone, he wouldn’t be defending him like this.”
“…Defending him?”
“What else would you call him claiming he misaimed his {Sleep} spell?”
Surging Azure Lake could’ve said the Demon Knight had threatened him into doing this. Instead of waiting until the {Sleep} spell wore off and the guards woke up to raise the alarm, he could’ve simply cast some spell as a signal the instant the Demon Knight left.
No, he could’ve even pretended to try stopping him and secretly let him flee without using that {Sleep} spell. That would have elicited much less suspicion.
Nevertheless, Surging Azure Lake helped the Demon Knight, fully aware he’d fall under suspicion. To Meister, that was proof enough. Proof that his grandfather was protecting someone he deeply believed was innocent, even if it was to his disadvantage.
“That’s still just placing all your trust in someone else’s judgment.”
“That’s insulting. Referring to believing in the judgment of someone who can see the true essence of things as blind trust is quite a stretch, don’t you think? By that logic, shouldn’t the entire profession of appraisers be obsolete?”
Berserk’s small objection was immediately shot down by Meister’s harsh words. She narrowed her eyes in response.
* * *
* * *
“That’s enough.”
“…?”
“Enough?”
“I’ll be the one asking questions now.”
“Wait, Miss Fighter!”
Just then, a certain someone who’d been behind Berserk stood up. Deathbringer, who’d been placing his complete trust in her and thus not observing the unconscious man, jumped up.
“You said you’d watch him!”
“I said I’d watch him, not report to you if he woke up.”
Deathbringer’s trust had been thoroughly betrayed.
Swish.
Meanwhile, Daniel brushed aside the white cloth that had been placed on his face and slipped off as he sat up. Over his mouth was a faint palm imprint where Berserk had been pressing down for a while after he’d awoken to keep him from screaming.
He was still thoroughly displeased, though. Since she’d held him down like that, he’d managed to listen in on the entire conversation without being noticed.
And thanks to that, he learned a certain fact…
“Do you know the extent of the Demon Knight’s memory loss?”
He…
“Are you asking me?”
“Yes.”
“And why should I answer that?”
“You should.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Who knows.”
Daniel lowered his eyes, which were about to heat up with emotion again.
During the forced silence, all sorts of thoughts had flickered through his mind. Most were things he didn’t want to admit.
“I lost my parents to a Demon who wielded black flames, and through this incident, I learned the Demon Knight is harboring that very Demon.”
However, there were also things that he really wanted to believe.
“Please tell me. I think I have more than enough right to know.”
Like wanting to trust the man his little cousin, Schutz, trusted so much.
“Did he kill my parents and then feign ignorance?”
Or wanting to hear someone tell him he hadn’t been deceived.
“Or did he really not know?”
Despite knowing the answer to this question might not offer him any comfort.
“…I don’t know. He didn’t exactly pour his heart out to me.”
“…”
“But… I think there’s a good chance he didn’t know.”
And yet…
“I see.”
Just that one sentence was enough to help him endure.
That was enough.
“I see.”
Daniel muttered, seemingly drained. Its target lost, the resentment became a deep emptiness that weighed down on his shoulders. He wanted to cry. Or scream. Or, or…
“In the end, only he knows the truth.”
“Well, I suppose so.”
The only thing Daniel could be certain of was that he now had a reason to face that man.
“I’ll keep quiet.”
“…?”
“You don’t want me to report any of this to the Temple, right? I’m saying I’ll do that.”
“…We’d appreciate it if you did, but may I ask why?”
“Why, huh…”
Daniel imagined for a moment what would happen if he reported this conversation.
Two great sages, a great master, and two others without official titles but, as Companions of the Envoy, far from ordinary were involved in this. Even if it didn’t end in execution, the consequences would be fairly considerable. The Hero herself wasn’t involved in this conversation, but she’d likely also end up in trouble. After all, this made it seem like the whole group was colluding with a Demon.
“I just don’t want to believe that trusting someone was a mistake.”
But had they really colluded with a Demon? Setting Great Sage Surging Azure Lake aside, the others simply wanted to know why the Demon Knight had escaped, without knowing the reason. Wasn’t that fine?
Daniel recalled the conversation they’d had. They just wanted to believe. Just like he was trying now, they were just desperately hoping they could still place their trust in that man.
“So… whatever the Demon Knight’s true identity, I won’t report any of this incident.”
Of course, there was a condition. Daniel forced his dry throat to spit out a few more words.
“But let me come with you. I have to see for myself what the outcome of my faith will be.”
* * *
> […Wait.]
And somewhere, in a place where a giant serpent slithered about silently.
> [Why is he here?]
> [Huh…?]
Someone who’d been walking alone through this rain for quite a while raised their head.
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