Chapter 256

The Holy Saint, whose hypocritical nature was exposed, was in an awkward position.

There was no explicit hint of blame in Marquise Lekandro’s eyes and voice, but it was already enough pressure for Muriel.

The awkward atmosphere seemed to rebuke her.

As evidence, the Grace Knight Order knights, who had been standing guard behind Muriel, were busy looking away awkwardly.

Just then, Duke Hispenril, who had been quiet until now, reacted. His heavy body alone, as he straightened his upper half, amplified his presence.

“Marquise Lekandro.”

“Your Grace, Duke Hispenril.”

“I trust my granddaughter and my grandson-in-law. They will surely return safe and sound, as if to show off, and rejoin us.”

Duke Hispenril clenched and unclenched his fist, suppressing his worry with trust.

Marquise Lekandro also nodded heavily.

“Then I shall believe so too.”

Just then, a petty person started to spoil the mood.

“Haha, didn’t you hear earlier that the Holy Sword’s Master plunged into the Pit of Solitude? Even if the Pink Holy Saint is alright, the Holy Sword’s Master must already be dead. As a Great Archmage, I know a bit about solitude; it’s a black magic spell where even if one survives to the end, they can never truly be considered alive…”

“Shut up, Anchovy.”

“Shut up, Madman.”

“…Younger generations these days lack respect for their elders.”

It was when Moriphis was caressing his leather choker, pretending to be sad.

Muriel suddenly asked, as if something just occurred to her.

“By the way, where did the Night Eagle’s Master go? I thought they were next to me just a moment ago?”

“I am treading on your shadow, Saint Muriel.”

“…!”

Indeed, the title of Master of the Night Eagle Guild, the greatest assassin group, was not an empty one.

The masked figure with dark brown hair appeared with a presence. Though their face couldn’t be seen, their low voice was surprisingly quite young.

Screech.

Romina Lekandro, who had reflexively taken an attacking stance, re-sheathed her sword and warned in a low voice.

“Everyone is on edge. Please be mindful of your presence so as not to cause misunderstandings, Fliegel Knight.”

“I will be mindful from now on, Your Grace.”

In reality, Fliegel had been sufficiently cautious.

That was why he had not appeared behind the two Aura Masters, but had instead trod on Muriel’s and Moriphis’s shadows.

Duke Hispenril met Fliegel’s bright yellow eyes and asked.

“Where did you go in such a short time?”

It wasn’t really an interrogation. Although they had just met today, they would soon have to fight a fierce battle together.

Exchanging a few casual words just before battle sometimes proved surprisingly helpful for fighting together.

“My favorite disciple was nearby, so I observed for a moment and then returned.”

“You just observed? Without saying hello?”

“Yes. Due to the nature of my profession, one-sided surveillance and information gathering are more convenient.”

“Hmm, I see. Did you gather any information?”

“It seemed my favorite disciple’s girlfriend had changed.”

“…Girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

His voice was truly serious and stiff, but the content somehow felt a bit foolish.

‘Well, as long as his skills are certain.’

Duke Hispenril, Marquise Lekandro, and Muriel thought so.

Meanwhile, Moriphis, for some reason, brightened alone and acted friendly.

“I also like to observe and voyeuristically watch. We seem like we’d get along well.”

“…Yes.”

At this point, with the Demon King battle imminent.

Through conversations like these, the five strong individuals from the original story relaxed and prepared to coordinate with each other.

Meanwhile, the Silver Citadel Knights, unaware that Fliegel had spied on them and left, had a grave atmosphere filled with worry and anxiety.

“O God, please remove the destruction looming over our heads… And guide the two wandering in the cold, dark place to the path of light…”

Even in the cold autumn wind, Hilde was absorbed in prayer. Ash quietly took off his outer garment and draped it over her.

Iphail sighed deeply and said glumly.

“Will Tesillid and Aillet be safe?”

“We’re about to fight the Demon King ourselves; is this the time to worry about others?”

“Hey, Hestio. Aren’t you worried?”

Despite Iphail’s accusatory tone, Hestio was confident.

“Aillet must have a plan for everything. Wouldn’t she come out, visibly dragging Tesillid by the collar or hair?”

“Uh… maybe so?”

“Think about when we went to subjugate Anaksia. She knew the entire path from the dungeon entrance and even the boss’s strategy. And what about her arriving at the boss room first and pretending to be the boss, waiting for us?”

“Ah, that was truly shocking!”

“See? It’s needless worry. This time too, surely…”

Hestio took a deep breath, as if swallowing something stuck in her throat.

“…They’ll be fine. Both of them.”

Just then, a commotion arose.

Someone had disrupted the formation of the waiting troops and was approaching the Silver Citadel Knights.

“Your Highness, 3rd Prince. This is not a place for Your Highness to be!”

“Your Highness, to the royal palace.”

“Quiet, Sir Cheryl, Sir Chez.”

“…Stubborn, impossible.”

“Chez, shush.”

The person who came, dragging the Winchester Royal Knights like a tail, was the 3rd Prince, Ligares.

Stopping in front of the Silver Citadel Knights, he revealed his temper by roughly sweeping back his platinum blonde hair.

He looked over the four knights, then addressed the one he judged to be of the highest rank.

“Vice-Archbishop Hilde.”

“Yes? Ah, yes! Your Highness…!”

“Is it true that my brother volunteered to sacrifice himself to save the people of the Theocracy?”

True to his brother complex, Ligares cared more about his elder brother’s well-being than the imminent Demon King battle.

Meanwhile, Hilde’s gentle eye corners drooped even further as she received the question.

“Yes… I didn’t see it myself, but we heard the same from other survivors… Uh, even though big sister tried to stop him, he jumped off the cliff himself…”

Ligares clenched his fist so hard that the knuckles on the back of his hand stood out white.

“Brother… why do you always…!”

“…”

“Damn it…!”

Ligares’s mind replayed the past.

The image of his young brother, pushing his younger self through a hole in the wall and then walking towards the zealots to buy time, came to mind.

Ligares spewed out curses wildly to suppress his painful emotions.

He knew it was an immature method, but he couldn’t help it.

Meanwhile, among the royal knights arrayed behind Ligares, there were two more familiar faces besides Cheryl and Chez.

Printz and Raywin. Their expressions were clouded with worry for someone else besides Tesillid.

Just then, Ligares asked about Aillet’s well-being. Still with a growling tone, unable to curb his temper.

“But what about my sister-in-law? If my brother performed that Atonement System or whatever it was, shouldn’t she have come out safely? Why isn’t she here?”

“Big sister…”

“Would she have come out?”

Someone interrupted Hilde as she was about to answer.

“Priest Hestio?”

There was clear frustration in his amber eyes.

Despite having dismissed it as unnecessary worry just moments before, Hestio revealed his true feelings.

“With her personality… With Aillet’s personality, there’s no way she would have just left Tesillid behind. That’s why everyone is worried, but…”

“…”

“Who said she came out safely? You speak so easily. If you’re going to call her sister-in-law, you should at least know something about her… Oof oof!”

“Hey, hey, Hestio. Why are you suddenly getting riled up? He’s a prince, you know.”

“Gah! Our brother seems to have made a slip of the tongue due to his sensitivity about Sister Aillet, Your Highness.”

While Iphail and Ash tried to manage the situation, Ligares remained frozen. Then, he finally spoke.

“No, it seems I’m the one who made the slip of the tongue.”

“…”

There was a reason Ligares was surprisingly compliant.

Immediately after learning that Tesillid was the lost Prince Reminic, the first thing Queen Raviosa and Ligares did was thoroughly investigate Tesillid’s past actions.

Thanks to this, the mother and son learned in agonizing detail how Tesillid had been treated by the order and what life-or-death crises he had overcome in dungeons.

Among these, there were many episodes where, without the Holy Saint’s help, the outcome would surely have been horrifying.

In the Mansion of Toys.

On the hill where the Holy-Demonic Sword was sealed.

In the Sculptor’s Atelier.

In Pandora’s Bottom.

At the religious tribunal judging the Glorious Knight Order.

In the central courtyard of the Pontifical Palace, where the Offering of the Barley Harvest Festival was being held.

In the border region where the Black Demon Swordsman massacred the magic army.

And in Anaksia’s audience chamber, where that Black Demon Swordsman intruded.

…What would have happened then if the Holy Saint hadn’t been by Tesillid’s side?

Since the Holy Saint is so strong, saving someone might be considered a minor thing.

However, according to the reports Queen Raviosa and Ligares read, the Holy Saint had also walked a path that was not easy.

In fact, some of the Holy Saint’s efforts to save Tesillid could not be described as anything less than desperate.

-According to the confession of the Glorious Knight Order Commander, the Holy Saint plunged into a gorge without hesitation to find the Holy Sword’s Master.

-Immediately after the fierce battle with the Black Demon Swordsman, the Holy Saint and the Holy Sword’s Master were missing for three hours. According to the search party’s report at the time, suspicious traces were found near the Helkaion Burst Gate. Someone had bled profusely, and traces of someone else having ‘crawled’ there were present. Judging by the remaining divine power, the one who ‘crawled’ was… And now, Tesillid, whom she had saved with all her might, had reportedly plunged in to sacrifice himself alone.

Right before her eyes.

What would Aillet Rodelain feel, witnessing that scene?

What if she had followed Tesillid into the Pit of Solitude, just like she did in Pandora’s Bottom dungeon?

He had been complacent. He had only mouthed off about her being his sister-in-law.

“I… I spoke too easily. I failed to consider my sister-in-law’s feelings, and yours. I apologize.”

A slightly awkward silence fell. It was the light brown-haired knight who broke the atmosphere.

“The youngest prince, growing up.”

“…Chez, please be quiet.”

Privilege for the Possessor