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“A magical beast?”
“Wasn't there only one?”
But among them, there were a few people with pale faces. They were the people of Vandel who had visited the monastery after discovering traces of a magical beast.
At Prince Elio's words, they began to dwell on the black blood they had found.
‘Could it really be a demon…?’
‘No way….’
Since the primary duty of priests is to pray, they were not particularly skilled at maintaining a poker face. Moreover, since what Prince Elio had exposed was a secret of the monastery, the priests fluttered in confusion, not knowing what to do.
Abbot Wilbert felt like clutching his forehead. The fact that they had kept the appearance of the second magical beast a secret to reassure the people had instead become a poison.
‘But how does Prince Elio know that fact?’
Furthermore, he knew it in great detail.
“I heard it looked just like this beast. The body of a bat and the head of a wolf? Moreover, it seemed to have caught and devoured a knight of House Achen.”
“…That is true,” Abbot Wilbert replied with a groan. “But the one who slew that beast was none other than Sir Norwich!”
“I wonder,” Prince Elio replied indifferently. “Could it be that he slew the beast with his own hands to hide the fact that he dealt with a demon?”
It was Rahan who fired back.
“It is true that the beast appeared and that it died by my hand, but Abbot Wilbert hid it out of concern that the people's anxiety would grow. But how did Your Highness know about it?”
Philod Ahen flinched at that question. But the Prince merely scoffed.
“Do you think only one knight was left here by House Achen?”
The mages had prepared the most vicious of the servants of the demon they served.
It resembled the master they served, and the mages did not doubt for a moment that it would harm dozens of people.
However, their expectations had been wrong, and the mages had ground their teeth.
[We offer Your Highness something identical to what was prepared. Please use it to bind that man as a tool of the secular world.]
The Prince found it amusing. The mages seemed to think they were something special, not even bothered by the fact that the Prince had discovered their existence. To think they were dreaming of such glorious dreams, when they were merely things to be discarded once they became useless.
“There was only one.”
Rahan had been on high alert ever since that incident. Of course, given the circumstances, Abbot Wilbert knew that he had spoken with Leviathan, but that was surely Leviathan's trickery.
At the very least, no one was around the moment the knight was snatched by the magical beast.
“How can you be so sure? Is there anyone to testify to your words? Philod Ahen said he left two knights here.”
However, there was no way to counter Prince Elio's words. Since the dead was a knight of House Achen, it ended there if House Achen insisted.
It was then that Rahan fell silent.
“Whether there were two knights of House Achen or one, the important fact is that Sir Norwich has nothing to do with demons.”
It was Abbot Wilbert who spoke. Rahan's eyes widened.
“I'm asking if you have evidence.”
“He entered the Sanctuary of the monastery and was able to bathe in Holy Water where God descended without issue. Demons, or things served by demons, cannot do that.”
Abbot Wilbert continued.
“That is the greatest evidence of all.”
Rahan was bewildered. Abbot Wilbert was the very person who knew that he was a Servant of a demon.
Had he not confessed exactly that just a moment ago?
“Abbot.”
As Rahan opened his mouth to say something, the Abbot shook his head to stop him. Then, he smiled benevolently.
“God loves you, Sir Norwich.”
It was the same thing Abbot Wilbert had told him when he called him earlier.
‘The reason I called Sir Norwich is that there is one thing I wanted to tell you.’
‘….’
‘God loves you.’
‘Abbot.’
‘Though the Demon's Footprint remains on your soul, the reason you live on like this must also be the will of Eridrahan.’
‘….’
‘Therefore, this foolish servant of God shall try not to hate you recklessly.’
Let me love even the hatred. Abbot Wilbert had whispered those words.
Rahan's jaw tightened.
* * *
Meanwhile, Philod was flustered by Abbot Wilbert's sudden words.
‘The plan is falling apart!’
Originally, the plan Prince Elio had established by using Philod and contracting with the mages was simple.
Frame Rahan Norwich as a traitor who contracted with a demon and punish him on the spot. Then, take the widowed Iris Achen and head to the Imperial Capital.
It was annoying to lose the young bride right before his eyes, but it was a usable plan. After all, Philod and Herbert only needed the succession rights held by Iris Achen.
But it seemed the situation would change if Abbot Wilbert intervened. Normally, those framed as heretics or contractors with demons were subject to summary execution.
However, it was a different story for a faithful believer guaranteed by the temple. Abbot Wilbert had essentially volunteered to be Rahan Norwich's guarantor.
Philod looked at Elio anxiously. Prince Elio, feeling Philod's gaze, looked back and smirked. Then, he gave a light nod. It was approval.
Regarding the mages.
That they could run wild as much as they liked.
[Aha….]
‘Those people’ groaned with pleasure.
[Since it happens to be raining, there is no better day. The noble one's discernment is truly high….]
Rumble….
Thunder roared.
Regardless, Prince Elio now brought forward another witness.
“Abbot Wilbert. Unfortunately, another witness has already emerged from Vandel. I met him on my way here.”
The village chief of Vandel, who had been blending in with the crowd, shouted in a voice that sounded as if he were about to faint.
“Robbie!”
Indeed. The one walking out, escorted by the Prince's knights, was Robbie. Rahan frowned.
Robbie boasted, claiming, “That man is a demon! He killed my friend!”
The villagers had heard these words dozens of times and were used to them, but there was a reason they felt fresh now. It was because it had already been revealed that the monastery priests had a history of hiding the appearance of magical beasts.
“That's right. We saw the black blood pooled in the forest too….”
“Then did Karl really…?”
To make matters worse.
“Could the Potato Blight also… be the work of a demon?”
“I heard Iris found a cure?”
“My dear, we don't know about that. The priests provided the relief for everything!”
“…True. They could have just given the medicine to the people, but they insisted on going so far away….”
The people began to stir. Abbot Wilbert clicked his tongue, and Rahan lowered his head.
He knew it would be like this. There was no way people would trust someone like him in the first place.
Prince Elio added a word with a smile.
“Didn't something seem strange? Coincidentally, it all started after that man appeared.”
The villagers hesitated, then began to agree one by one.
“Now that you mention it, our village has been strange since those red eyes appeared, hasn't it?”
“The magical beasts too….”
“He showered us with gold coins! They say demons tempt people with gold!”
The atmosphere shifted increasingly toward cornering Rahan. It was Priest Vera who flared up.
“Your Highness! This is not the right way! Since the Abbot has guaranteed Rahan Norwich, a proper trial must be held!”
“I wonder. But there are two witnesses.”
“Just because Sir Norwich has red eyes, to do this….”
Prince Elio tilted his head slightly.
“Strange. To protect someone who might have dealt with a demon to this extent. Could it be that all the priests of this temple have contracted with a demon?”
Swoosh….
As the sound of the rain grew more intense, the crowd fell silent. The Prince's words were nothing less than a threat to brand the entire Wind Rock Monastery as demon lackeys and massacre them if things didn't go his way.
Rumble, thunder rolled low.
“I'm tired of word games. Let's do this. I'll behead Rahan Norwich right now.”
As he spoke, the Prince drew his sword.
“If he dies when beheaded, he's not a demon; if he doesn't, he is.”
“How could you…!”
“What about the injustice of the dead!”
The Prince laughed.
“Ah, if Sir Norwich feels this is unfair, I shall build him a truly magnificent grave.”
There is a limit to how much nonsense one can spout. Rahan was speechless. What use was a grave received after one was already dead?
However, he could not bring himself to kill a man who was a Prince.
Just then, someone intervened.
“Your Highness.”
Prince Elio turned, wondering what kind of idiot was interrupting now, and looked bewildered.
“That would be somewhat difficult.”
Akim Norwich.
The Margrave of Norwich.
And Rahan’s older brother.
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