61
Chapter 61
Unfortunately, my logical explanation had absolutely no effect.
No matter what I said, the only responses I got were complaints about how hurt they were and how I couldn't trust them.
In the end, I had no choice but to raise both hands and surrender.
I left them with a single request: if I was really going to do something like that even if it killed me, I should at least make sure I didn't get caught.
Leaving it at that, I dismissed the passionate Black Fang supporters.
The streets that had been noticeably crowded were now completely empty.
Ciel and I had erased the mana trace imprinted on the ground and dismantled the temporary relief center.
I looked around, lost in thought.
'Could this be considered a success?'
We managed to save a lot of people, and we successfully diverted the Empire's attention.
Although, in the process, we did end up doing a lot of good for Black Fang by gaining supporters, shaping public opinion, and boosting their reputation.
Well, that shouldn't be too big of a problem.
The Empire and Black Fang were currently clashing heavily anyway, so lending them a little helping hand wouldn't hurt.
It seemed coming here was a pretty good choice. Just as I was thinking that while looking at the empty street...
"......?"
I was clearly the only one left here, and I was about to head back to the mansion too.
A few incredibly shabby-looking misters were staring at me.
Hair in total disarray.
Dark circles sagging down to their lips.
Did they hear rumors that a relief center opened nearby and come looking for handouts?
Planning to at least give them some food before sending them away, I approached them, but...
"P-Please save us!"
I heard a familiar voice.
A voice I had definitely heard a few times before.
On top of that, there were three of them.
It didn't take long for me to figure out who those guys were.
'Come to think of it. I completely forgot about these guys.'
They were knights.
Knights of the Empire.
The ones who came looking for us last time, and whom I put to work as manual laborers since they were already here.
...Why on earth did they look like such a mess?
I distinctly remember telling them they could rest whenever they wanted to.
Yet somehow, it seemed like none of them ever listened to a word I said.
Wondering if they were sick or something, I walked up to them. And then...
"......What are you doing?"
The knight trembled alone as he backed away, only to trip and fall. Looking closely, he was even shedding tears.
The three of them kept their eyes tightly shut as if they had planned it together... and only managed to open them after about 30 seconds had passed.
The one in the middle of the three knights opened his mouth with a dumbfounded expression and asked.
"W-Weren't you going to kill us?"
Such an abrupt question.
Naturally, my expression shifted to one of confusion.
Why would that suddenly come up here?
"Why would I kill you?"
I was so dumbfounded that the question slipped out of my mouth naturally.
What exactly did these guys take me for?
"Well, it's because we're no longer of any use to you...."
The knight spoke timidly, breaking out in a cold sweat.
No longer of any use, huh.
That might not necessarily be wrong.
Somehow, we ended up dismantling the relief center early and had already evacuated all the people.
Whether our location was exposed to the Empire or not, nothing would really change now.
"You're certainly right about that. I have no reason to let you live anymore."
As soon as he heard my words, his face turned pale once more. I quickly continued speaking before they could pass out.
"But what does that matter?"
"......Pardon?"
That bewildered voice.
The knight was visibly flustered.
It seemed he still didn't understand what I was saying, but it wasn't a particularly complicated concept.
"Just because you're useless doesn't mean I have to kill you."
No longer having any utility value.
Keeping them alive wouldn't provide any help at all.
Killing someone for a reason like that?
"That's the kind of thing the Empire would do."
At the very least, I didn't want to do such a thing.
It might be a slightly soft mindset, but I didn't think it was wrong.
Because I lived this way, I was able to meet my current comrades.
If I had lived without caring whether others lived or died for my own benefit, I wouldn't even be standing here in the first place.
I probably would have died alone in that mining site.
"......."
The knights stared at me blankly.
It was quite regrettable that they couldn't seem to process the fact that I was showing them mercy, though.
The relief center was closed now, so technically, they were the last guests of our relief center.
Therefore, I decided to show some generosity, extending a hand to them and speaking.
"Why aren't you leaving? You'd better hurry up and go before I change my mind."
The knight grabbed my hand and stood up.
Then, staring intently at me, he opened his mouth to speak.
"I finally understand."
A gaze mixed with all sorts of emotions.
"Just as you saved the others, you were trying to save us too."
The knight went on and on, detailing his thoughts.
He spoke of the things he had felt while saving people, rather than cutting them down.
Hearing that, I couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
Truthfully, I had just found them annoying and used them as slave labor.
I even completely forgot about them halfway through and just left them alone.
"Since you have taught us a lesson, we will do what we must in accordance with what we have learned."
However, I couldn't pour cold water on such a deeply moved face.
And honestly, I was completely sick and tired of explaining myself.
I just nodded silently and wrapped up the farewells.
With everything wrapped up, I left the familiar relief center and fell into thought.
What on earth was this?
Things just weren't going the way I had planned,
yet the results weren't turning out half bad, which was incredibly bizarre.
*****
Lately, the smile never seemed to leave the Second Prince's lips.
Even in that moment, as he leisurely smoked a cigar like he always did, the corners of his mouth refused to drop.
The reason was quite simple.
Whether luck was on his side or not, everything was proceeding smoothly.
The Second Prince had finally gotten his achievements recognized.
That stupid younger sister of his.
The Third Princess, who had always looked down on him, was being exceptionally quiet lately.
'It's the obvious outcome.'
His sister was incompetent, while he was outstanding.
While that bitch was wasting her time trying to dig into some petty potion entrepreneur over a mere suspicion,
the Second Prince, through relentless investigation, had finally uncovered the identity of the Black Fang's Leader.
In the end, even his father had acknowledged his contribution,
and now, by his father's command, that infuriating woman had stopped throwing her time away and was focusing entirely on the search operations under his direction.
'Even if she's placed under me, she's still completely useless.'
As if trying to pick a fight, the Third Princess kept finding the most nonsensical faults with him.
Claiming that something felt ominous, for instance.
Things like asking if he was managing his subordinates properly.
It was complete and utter nonsense.
Asmodeus himself had confirmed it yesterday.
Confirming that none of his subordinates were in contact with Black Fang.
He had even assured him to rest easy, as no one had become deeply obsessed with the Black Fang faith that was spreading terrifyingly fast lately.
So if anything, he should be worrying about that bitch's head instead.
It was utterly shameful to share blood with someone who wasted so much time flailing about based solely on her gut feelings.
'Well, it worked out perfectly for me, though.'
Because it was precisely her incompetence that made his own competence stand out so clearly.
This incident must have moved his father's heart significantly.
There was no doubt that he had now gained a massive upper hand in the succession struggle.
'Still, it's irritating that I had no choice but to borrow that creep's help.'
If these were the results they got, taking on that level of risk was well worth it.
Especially since, for some unknown reason, every single demon refused to lay a finger on Black Fang, leaving him with no other choice but that guy.
That unsettling smile.
It was irritating how the bastard was always staring at him with a grin, looking as though he was endlessly amused by something.
Still, that creep had produced overwhelming results.
Providing a photograph of the Black Fang's Leader in exchange for ten percent of a soul was merely a trivial task for him.
After all, Asmodeus was still watching.
Watching the Leader of Black Fang.
Asmodeus had said that while direct interference was difficult for a being of such high rank, periodically offering a massive amount of souls would allow him to maintain his sight—and his words were no lie.
With his father's support, using the souls secretly harvested by the Empire as fuel, Asmodeus was still monitoring the Black Fang's Leader.
"What is that guy doing right now?"
[Hmm.... To protect the others, he is personally erasing a monster that attacks people's minds from the world.]
And just like that, Black Fang was already sitting right in the palm of their hand.
No matter what they did, they could never escape his sight.
From that guy's behavioral patterns to his daily habits.
Every last detail was being thoroughly analyzed, destined to eventually become the snare that would trap them.
'......I've won.'
The Black Fang faith was spreading vigorously.
Those bastards were probably feeling arrogant, celebrating their own victory right about now.
But the reality of this match was a little different.
Without even realizing it, they were being driven further and further into a corner.
The entire world might view this match as a defeat for the Empire.
'This fight is our victory!'
The Goddess of Victory was smiling down upon him.