The Only Lie
Generally, the people one can encounter within Innocence Academy are limited.
First, there are the cadets, who could be called the main protagonists of the academy.
Before being a city, Innocence Academy is the name of an educational institution. Naturally, what follows are the educators who teach the cadets, and, looking more broadly, the academy's staff. This is the extent of its scope as an educational institution.
Then, what about when viewed as a city? To form a city, people from various fields are required. There are merchant groups distributing goods, chefs running restaurants, herbalists, and countless others. However, these are strictly people gathered under the academy's judgment of what is necessary for the city—meaning those whose mere presence creates a demand.
Beyond them are the families of those mentioned above. Ram, the son of the herbalist Rumbo whom I met in the past to deal with the lycanthropes more easily, is a prime example of this. No matter how closed-off the academy is, it does not go so far as to block the freedom to start a family.
Of course, as seen during the open classes, the cadets' families are an exception. At most, they simply cannot see each other for three years. Many cadets leave their families' embrace for the first time when they come to the academy. This is generally the case for the nobles.
Visitors who do not fall into any of the aforementioned categories can only set foot inside the academy after undergoing a fairly strict screening process. Well, although I slip out of the academy almost every day, that is how the normal route works. Sightseeing is, of course, strictly prohibited. There must be a plausible reason for the visit.
Now, the Saintess before my eyes, Bernice, must be considered a 'visitor.' In any case, she is a Saintess, and the weight carried by that word is by no means light. She could easily visit as much as she wanted. As long as she had a plausible reason.
However, judging by her expression the moment she spotted me, she was clearly waiting for me. My enlistment into the Saintess's knight order had to be kept a secret from the academy. It is impossible to belong to another organization while holding the status of a cadet.
Here lies the problem. Did she use a normal route, or a somewhat 'abnormal' one? It might not seem like a big deal, but the outfits Bernice and Ecklin were wearing were far from ordinary.
"...Zeto."
Bernice, who called out my name in a low voice... was wearing an academy uniform.
Where and when on earth did she get that uniform...?
The only way for a non-cadet to obtain a uniform was through abnormal means. Stealing one, just like Yorphang did before. That was the only thing that came to mind.
But I couldn't even begin to imagine Bernice, the Saintess of Purity of all people, stealing something. No matter how much I thought about it, that couldn't be it. Since I couldn't ask her about her attire, this... would likely remain an unsolved mystery to me.
"Saintess, and even the Vice-Commander... What are you doing here?"
Perhaps they had grown accustomed to me—or more precisely, my Ki Sense—as they weren't surprised by my ability to recognize them. At my question, Bernice turned her head to look at Ecklin.
"Ecklin, would it be alright if I spoke with Zeto alone?"
Soon, Ecklin, also dressed in the uniform, gave a slight nod and leaned against a nearby tree. It was my first time seeing Ecklin in a skirt. She seemed surprisingly comfortable wearing it.
"Zeto, for a moment..."
Bernice, who had approached me and started to speak, trailed off and stopped in her tracks. When I tilted my head slightly, Bernice closed her eyes tightly, opened them, took another step forward, and curled the corners of her lips upward.
"...Shall we walk together for a moment?"
"...Understood."
Nodding, I quietly followed Bernice. Even though I had detected the Saintess's presence beforehand through my Ki Sense, I was still somewhat dazed.
"I am sorry for showing up without any notice. Were you very surprised?"
"Well... the moment I realized you were here through my Ki Sense, yes, I suppose I was a little surprised."
"The reason I have come so abruptly is none other than because of the initiation ceremony."
"Ah..."
I had expected as much. I wondered if it was really necessary for her to come all this way in person, but hearing Bernice's slightly trembling voice, perhaps she had been a bit anxious in her own way.
Even though Bernice showed a merciless, iron-fisted side toward the demons, she also possessed a gentle side befitting a 'typical' Saintess. She loved people. A devoted, selfless love, one might say. This was quite remarkable considering her ability. Discerning truth from lies meant she would inevitably peer into the darker, unpleasant sides of humanity.
For someone like her, it seemed to weigh heavily on her mind that she couldn't properly conduct her subordinate's initiation ceremony.
"As I told the Vice-Commander, I am perfectly fine. The initiation ceremony was almost over anyway."
I offered a bright smile, trying to ease her worries. But that didn't seem to satisfy her, as Bernice lowered her head. Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed it would be a bit difficult to reveal Sierra's presence right now.
"As I told the Vice-Commander, I am perfectly fine. The initiation ceremony was almost over anyway."
Zeto's voice reached my ears. I stole a glance at him. It was hard to even look him straight in the face.
If only it were a lie, my heart wouldn't feel this heavy...
He, who had been abandoned at his own initiation ceremony without even knowing why, was looking at me with a bright smile and speaking the absolute truth. People live their lives telling lies, both big and small. Sometimes, they lie for the sake of the other person. Deep down, before meeting him, I had hoped his words of being fine were just that. But even that hope was completely useless now.
"...I am sorry."
I offered a brief apology, one that felt far too light compared to the heavy burden rooted in my heart. I didn't even hope for forgiveness. This was strictly a one-sided apology. I couldn't lift my head. If I looked at him, I would end up seeing it. Just how precarious his life force had become. Did he know the end of this fate? He likely did. It was a fate he had brought upon himself.
Zeto suddenly stopped walking. Then, his lips parted, and his pleasant voice tickled my ears.
"Saintess, I swore to become the sword of Bernice, the Saintess of Purity. From that very moment, I was your sword. Hesitation and worry are unnecessary emotions when wielding a sword. Therefore, do not pay them any mind and simply wield me. I am a much sturdier sword than you think."
It was a declaration of loyalty as a member of the knight order, but hearing it from Zeto made it feel incredibly... sweet. The fact that every single word was the absolute truth made my ears burn hot. Despite that, a simple reply like, 'Yes, I will certainly do so,' wouldn't come out of my mouth. Looking at his battered life force, I couldn't bring myself to believe that I could wield him without worry, just as he said. Because I didn't know the exact extent of what it meant not to disturb his energy, I even hesitated to heal him with my divine power.
"......"
And so, I chose to smile brightly in silence. Even though I knew it was completely useless to him, who was blind, I smiled as brightly as I could. Because this was the only 'lie' I could muster right now.
At my words, Bernice smiled brightly. It was a truly beautiful... smile, so characteristic of Bernice. Although I didn't get a verbal reply, it seemed I had at least succeeded in easing her worries. Soon, we began walking through the forest again. The cool dawn air filled my lungs, making my mind feel clear and refreshed. The dampness of the dew on the grass was so thick I could feel it without it even touching my skin. After walking like that for a short while, Bernice spoke to me.
"...By the way, Zeto, where are you coming from? The scent of demon blood is quite strong... Did you perhaps slay a demon on your way back? I didn't want you to overexert yourself just because you joined the knight order."
Bernice's voice carried a strange chill, almost as if she were scolding me.
I didn't get to change my clothes...
Ever since Shady came into the picture, I didn't have to bother carrying spare clothes. There was no way Bernice, a figure of terror to demons, would miss the scent of demon blood.
"...I didn't overexert myself. I simply did what had to be done."
As I scratched my head and spoke, Bernice glared at me sharply for a moment before closing her eyes tightly.
"Is the reason you go to such lengths... because of the demons you said you were pursuing?"
"..."
I quietly nodded at her question. Today wasn't a day I had dealt with the demons I was pursuing—that is, the ones targeting Eisel. Perhaps the Saintess saw me as some sort of avenger with a deep-seated grudge against demons.
Though, is there anyone in the knight order who doesn't hold a grudge against demons...?
Still, saying I had a grudge wasn't wrong. They were the culprits who forced me to retry the game thousands of times, the worst of the worst.
Suddenly, Bernice grabbed my hand. When I turned to look at her, she had a solemn expression on her face.
"Taking revenge with your own hands is fine, but... your opponent is a demon. This is not an individual matter. Now that your initiation is complete, wouldn't it be best to share some information? I originally intended to ask you after the ceremony... but I am only bringing it up now."
The Saintess's eyes were burning with passion as she tried to persuade me. She was incredibly earnest. Her words weren't wrong either. If they could be eliminated, they should be eliminated quickly to minimize the number of victims that would fuel their growth. It was just that there were various issues, such as timing, or the fact that I was the type who found it difficult to share information.
Well, in the game, there was never a case where the Saintess directly hunted down demons for me...
Since there were absolutely no dialogue options of that sort.
It was only impossible because it was a game, but if even one of them could be dealt with using the Saintess's power, things would become significantly easier. After all, Bernice was a Saintess. She was a specialist when it came to demons. She possessed near-infinite divine power. Moreover, the Saintess of this generation, Bernice, was far more skilled in combat than in healing. Although the Commander and Vice-Commander followed her around constantly, Bernice actually didn't need any protection. She was stronger than Ines. Rather than a simple healer, she was an all-rounder who could heal while possessing monstrous combat power. Well, she wasn't a cadet, and making her a companion was impossible in many ways.
Stroking my chin as if contemplating, I pondered whose information would be best to hand over.
The 'Commander' in the demon realm is out of the question...
It had to be someone active in the human realm, someone I had investigated for a long time to the point of deep infiltration, and someone who was too tedious to deal with alone. It would be best to choose someone who could only be touched during the final phase, namely 'That Day.'
...There was exactly one guy. The reason he was difficult to deal with was his social status. I could get rid of him by tying him into the succession crisis of the Terasia Kingdom during Yuri Clementine's episode, but banishment was the best I could do. Execution was nearly impossible. And after vanishing, that bastard would stubbornly show his face again right on 'That Day.'
Whether I would deal with him alongside the Saintess or if she would handle him alone, this wasn't something to hesitate over out of greed for experience points. With my current rate of growth, there were plenty of other ways to gain experience even without him. Having finished my calculations on which target's information to release, I opened my mouth and began to explain.
"This is about someone I have been pursuing alone for a very long time... Indeed, to deal with him, I might need your strength, Saintess. Would you lend me your aid?"
"I would gladly do so."
Bernice answered before I could even finish my sentence. She listened intently to my explanation. She would have sensed that my claim of pursuing him alone for a long time was not a lie. Since it was a single-player game, I had indeed done it alone, and it had been quite a long time since I first played the game. Though, to Bernice, those words would sound completely different. Bernice was entirely focused on me. I threw a question at her.
"Saintess, how much do you know about the Golden Lion Knights?"
"You have returned, Saintess. Did the conversation go..."
Ecklin, who was leaning against the tree, trailed off. Ah, I hadn't managed to relax my expression. Right now, I must have had the same grim face I usually wore when dealing with demons.
"...Did things not go well?"
"No, it is not that. The conversation went well. I also remembered to deliver the crystal ball..."
While talking with Zeto, I had asked him why he was pushing himself so hard. His health was deteriorating even without doing anything, so I couldn't let him overexert himself any further because of demons. I wanted to ease his burden. Slaying demons was my mission in the first place.
"I have done as much investigation as I could, but since I haven't compiled the data separately, all the information is in my head. I ask for your understanding in advance. I believe it will be enough for you to verify the truth of it yourself."
Zeto had said, tapping his blindfold as he continued his explanation. Since text or drawings would be useless to him, I had to take that into account. At the very least, his words were not a lie.
As I listened to his explanation, the demon he was pursuing turned out to be much closer to me than I had thought. So close, in fact, that it made me wonder if that was why he had accepted my offer. The individual suspected of being a demon was someone I also knew. Perhaps because of that, when compared to the information I possessed about him, several pieces fell into place. His failure to show up at the regular reports of the Allied Forces. The strange feeling that he was uniquely avoiding me. His suspicious behavior made perfect sense if he were indeed a demon.
"...Ecklin. Tell me everything you know about Delion, the Vice-Commander of the Golden Lion Knights. According to Zeto's information, he is suspected of being a demon. If that is true, an urgent investigation is required."
"Delion...?! The Vice-Commander of a demon-slaying knight order is a demon... Does that even make sense?"
"..."
As I stared blankly at the bewildered Ecklin, she quickly caught on. Just as Ecklin suspected... every single word Zeto had spoken was the absolute truth. Since his testimony was not a lie, an investigation was necessary.
"I was told he is extremely thorough, making him very difficult to catch. Given his high status, the investigation must be conducted in secret. We must avoid unnecessary conflict."
Delion. If he truly was a demon, I would personally deliver the Lord's iron hammer upon him. If doing so could ease even a fraction of the cruelty of Zeto's fate... I would gladly do it.