The Saint's Complicity and the Mad Dog's Training Grounds

Luciel retraced her steps with deliberate slowness. In her hands, she clutched a single sheet of paper as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. She gripped it tightly, terrified of dropping it, yet fretted endlessly that she might accidentally crumple it.

Her head swiveled left and right—she even scanned her surroundings, half-convinced someone might snatch it away. She looked exactly like a priest from legend who had just unearthed a holy relic.

She paused, then carefully unfolded the paper. The message was simple. Just two words: Be my accomplice. Nothing more. But to Luciel, it meant far more than any signature ever could. An accomplice? That meant he acknowledged her. It meant she had earned the right to stand beside God's Right Hand!

She wanted to fight at his side. She wanted to battle for him. Surely the Lord would understand this yearning of hers. After all, Cain had slain more demons than anyone else. He stood on an entirely different level from mere holy knights like them. He was the true executor of divine punishment, descended in the flesh!

Her face glowed with such overwhelming joy that she looked ready to melt. A soft, blissful sigh slipped between her lips.

But Luciel's dreamy haze shattered in an instant.

At the cardinal's voice, her expression froze into icy rigidity. The conversation from moments ago flooded back into her mind.

"How dare that lowly wretch!"

She had to endure it. She was a member of the Holy Knight Order. It was only right to fulfill her duties to the best of her ability. So she had to hold back... but this was almost impossible.

How could he speak to Cain like that?

She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠understood why the cardinal acted this way. Cain was a commoner. A nobody. From the cardinal's perspective, that was all there was to it.

He knows one truth but not the other. Status isn't everything.

The Lord does not grant perfection to anyone. Luciel and all the holy knights had been taught this. Every soul in the world had flaws. That was why the strong had to strive even harder—because the Lord had not bestowed perfect strength.

That was why the virtuous had to be stricter with themselves—because the Lord sent temptations that could shake them.

Cain was simply undergoing the trial of lowly birth. The fact that he bore such heavy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chains of status only proved how overwhelmingly powerful he truly was.

"How did it go? Did you deliver a proper warning to that lowly creature?"

"..."

Ah, what should she do? She wanted to scold him right then and there. If the person before her weren't the cardinal—if she weren't the commander of the Holy Knight Order—she would have slammed him to the ground and roared at him!

How dare you utter his name so carelessly? Do not flap your filthy mouth so recklessly! He rains down the flames of judgment upon demons and bestows the light of salvation upon us!

...No. This isn't what Cain would want.

She thought of the paper she had tucked away so preciously. Cain had clearly sent the message to become his accomplice. What was an accomplice? It meant doing something together. This was a secret code Cain had sent her!

He took the hero with him. It means he has business with him.

Luciel didn't know exactly what that business was. But one thing was certain: Cain was currently engaged in something incredibly important, and it undoubtedly involved the hero. He must have anticipated friction with the Holy Kingdom. That was why he had asked for her help!

"Yes, Your Eminence. We had a very constructive conversation."

It had mostly been her begging him to sign the paper, but still.

"Hm. If the commander says so, then that's a relief."

The cardinal had no idea what had truly transpired.

"What about the hero?"

"He said he had business to attend to and left first."

"Oh dear. I had something to discuss with the hero as well."

Looking disappointed, the cardinal was about to go search for the hero when—

"I thought I might find you here."

The person who appeared from behind them was the Saint, Liberio. Both the cardinal and Luciel quickly made the sign of the cross.

"As the Lord wills, we greet the Saint."

"We greet the Saint."

Liberio also drew the sign of the cross with great reverence.

"As the Lord wills, Your Eminence the Cardinal, Commander of the Holy Knight Order."

"I didn't expect to run into you here, Brother Liberio. How is the academy?"

"It's excellent. Not only are the educational facilities outstanding, but there's also a grand chapel perfect for prayer."

The cardinal smiled, as if that were only natural. The Holy Kingdom had invested heavily in this academy. They had enrolled the Saint, summoned the knight commander, and even sent a cardinal to the opening ceremony.

"Now that I think about it, I was looking for you, Commander."

"For me?"

When Luciel looked puzzled, Liberio explained.

"Do you know why I called you to the academy?"

"Well... I simply followed His Holiness's command—"

"On the surface, your mission is to protect the academy. But in truth, you must also take on the role of instructing the hero. We need him to feel greater attachment to our Holy Kingdom than to anywhere else."

The hero possessed mana that surpassed that of any knight and holy power rivaling the cardinal's. He was an incredibly attractive figure to every nation in the alliance. Rebuilding the Southern Kingdom? Honestly, it didn't appeal much.

It was far more beneficial to the Holy Kingdom if that place remained in ruins. Every time people saw that wretched land, they would remember the terror of demons and the struggle of the virtuous. That was precisely how the Holy Kingdom gained support and expanded its influence.

The hero was the same. He wanted to rebuild the South. If the newly established Southern Kingdom aligned with the Holy Kingdom, that would be good. But they couldn't be certain. More precautions were necessary.

That was why they wanted to strengthen their bond with the hero—so he would see the Holy Kingdom as his benefactor, as his second homeland.

"Additionally, we must work with the Empire's Grand General and Court Mage Kaisen to keep Cain in check."

"Cain... Ahem. You mean Cain?"

"He is undoubtedly strong, but he lacks the loyalty of the Grand General, the rationality of the Court Mage, or the piety of the commander. He is someone who could become an enemy at any moment."

"..."

What utter nonsense. How dare he spout such rubbish!

"We must help the hero grow as quickly as possible and turn him into one of our own, while also cultivating the power to restrain Cain."

"So that's why you summoned me."

"There are other reasons as well, but this is the primary one."

The Saint, Liberio. His piety was genuine. But he did not blindly seek only the divine. One could call it worldly, and he would gladly accept that criticism.

The Holy Kingdom had to become even greater than it was now. Only then could it spread goodness, light, and justice across the land. Not be swayed by the world, but instead wield it.

"Your help is essential, Commander. His Holiness has also given his consent. Will you assist me?"

At Liberio's proposal, Luciel could only marvel.

Cain... As expected. You saw all the way to this point.

His words about becoming accomplices came to mind once more. It meant he already knew about the checks against him. Be my accomplice was his way of asking for her help.

"...I am the Commander of the Holy Kingdom's Holy Knight Order. I will ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠assist in any way I can."

Yes, Cain. Anything at all. I will help you.

"Ughhh..."

It hurt. His entire body felt like it was screaming. Even when he had fought a high demon, it hadn't been this bad.

Where... am I?

The surroundings were too dark to make anything out. The only light came from the torches flickering quietly on the walls. First, he checked his body. Fortunately, he wasn't bound.

He could still properly circulate both his mana and holy power. But every part of him throbbed so badly that he couldn't help but gasp. He couldn't even guess how ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hard he'd been hit.

Once he finished assessing his physical condition, his mind began to clear. Why was he here? How had this happened? Sion slowly retraced the events leading up to this moment.

I definitely met Cain and...

They had talked. Then suddenly he'd been beaten. He couldn't remember why he'd been hit like that. He had said something, but the memory was hazy. The pain had been so intense that he'd lost his senses.

Footsteps—

Someone's coming.

At first he thought it might be Cain, but it didn't seem like it. The footsteps lacked that kind of power. Considering Cain's overwhelming, tyrannical presence, whoever was approaching now was someone completely cowed and shrunken.

Click.

"Ah. You're finally conscious."

It was someone he'd never seen before. He looked about the same age as Sion. The young man approached and crouched down beside him. He wore the most pitiful expression in the world.

"How many times did he hit you?"

"Um... I'm sorry, but who are you...?"

At Sion's question, the man gave a bitter smile.

"That kind of thing doesn't matter here."

"Huh?"

"Whether you're a prince or the hero, none of that helps at all."

"What do you..."

Sion replayed the man's words in his head. Before mentioning the hero, he had said "prince." Was that just a figure of speech? Looking at him now, the young man carried an incredible air of nobility. It wasn't something that came from wearing expensive clothes. Only those born into true nobility possessed such an aura.

"...Don't tell me. Are you really an imperial prince?"

Correct. Sion didn't know which one, but he was indeed a prince.

"That's what I'm saying. It doesn't matter here."

"What do you..."

How could an imperial prince's status mean nothing? That was impossible anywhere in the world—

Thud!

"Eek!"

The prince—Arhen—flinched violently, shrinking in on himself. Sion was shocked all over again at the sight. An imperial prince of the Eper Empire acting like this? The Eper Empire stood at the very center of the alliance.

It was the only nation that dared call itself an empire. The most powerful country on the continent. Its princes had nothing to fear. No one could treat them lightly except the emperor himself. So why was this prince reacting like—

"Have you two already become friends?"

"Ah."

Ah. Right. Of course that kind of reaction would appear!

"O-oh, you're here, Cain. Are you done with your business?"

"It's only just beginning."

Cain walked forward with slow, heavy steps. They were perfectly ordinary footsteps. So why was cold sweat pouring down his back?

"Hero."

"..."

"Answer."

"Y-yes!"

"Your physical condition."

His physical condition? Other than hurting everywhere, he was fine?

"I'm alright."

"Good."

Cain turned to Arhen next.

"Your Highness."

"Yes! I mean, yeah!"

"The academy will continue operating exactly as it is now. We won't add anything else, nor will we remove anything."

"R-really? Didn't you say last time there were quite a few routes where intruders could sneak in?"

"That's exactly why we're leaving it like this." Cain clicked his tongue. "If we leave the obvious holes as they are, they'll come through there."

"Who?"

"Anyone. But if we seal them now, they'll just look for somewhere else. And I'd have to waste my precious time searching for those other places in advance. I hate that. If we end up missing any demons because of it, will Your Highness take responsibility?"

Responsibility. At that word, Arhen shook his head frantically. Sion, on the other hand, only grew more bewildered. Telling a prince to take responsibility?

That made no sense. But Arhen clearly understood what that responsibility entailed. Nine times out of ten—actually, ten times out of ten—it meant getting beaten. And "beaten" was putting it mildly.

"I'm counting on you, Your Highness. Let's do this well together."

Wilhelm alone had too many shortcomings. His mental reformation was now complete, but in the past he had been a notorious trash prince. Many people still disliked and distrusted him. In contrast, Arhen had always maintained the image of a good prince.

Even the Grand General was one of Arhen's supporters. He could command many others as well. Therefore, keeping Arhen around made things much easier. He might even prove useful in catching demons.

That was the reason Cain had shown such mercy.

And as for the hero...

Honestly, he was completely unqualified to be the hero. But the world had made him one anyway. And a hero was someone who naturally attracted demons. While he might not be as effective as the female lead Estelle, Sion still served as a decent demon magnet.

They're all mine now.

He would dump all the annoying tasks onto the two princes. As for the demons who kept running away the moment they saw him? He would use Estelle and the hero to lure them in.

Perfect.

Very occasionally, he had considered another idea. Maybe he should just wait until the demons killed everyone. Maybe he should camp out until the world was overflowing with them.

But no. He couldn't do that. If he saw a demon, he had to kill it. How could he possibly wait? How could he hold back when there were demons right there?!

"Kihihihit!!"

Letting out a laugh far more terrifying than any demon's, Cain lost himself in fantasies of slaughtering demons.

"Uuuugh..."

Beside him, Arhen clutched his head and began trembling in terror, shivering as if he knew exactly what was coming.

"..."

Watching him, Sion suddenly had a single clear thought.

This is going to be really, really bad.