Betrayal

The grand imperial palace stood resplendent at the heart of the empire.

Before the gathered assembly of high-ranking nobles and the Emperor seated upon his throne, they stood.

Judah Brutus, the hero who had slain the Demon King and saved the world, knelt politely before the Emperor to pay his respects.

"Your Majesty. I, the Hero Judah Brutus, have returned with my companions after vanquishing the Demon King."

"Magnificent, Hero! And to your companions as well! Thanks to your heroic deeds, this continent has ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠been delivered from the brink of ruin. Carrying out the will of the gods to fulfill this great destiny, I offer you my deepest gratitude."

The Emperor praised the achievements of the hero and his party with overflowing joy.

Watching this scene unfold, I couldn't help but smile with deep emotion, feeling as proud as if my own younger brother had achieved greatness.

Haha... Why do I feel like crying? Is this what it feels like to watch your own child succeed after marrying Isabel?

There was a time when Judah was nothing but a beggar wandering the streets.

He spoke in a strange dialect and had no known origin, but as the Guild Master of the Adventurer Guild—the man responsible for managing all adventurers in the empire—I possessed a unique ability.

Through the Eyes of Growth, which allowed me to see the latent potential of others, I recognized his talent.

Though he was weak back then, he possessed a rare genius that would undoubtedly lead him to the summit of strength.

And so, as Guild Master, I took Judah in and threw the full weight of my support behind him, nurturing his limitless potential.

He did not disappoint. He grew at a terrifying pace.

His growth rate was nearly ten times that of an ordinary adventurer.

It took Judah less than a few years to rise from a mere Iron rank to a Master-tier combatant, and the achievements he accumulated along the way were nothing short of dazzling.

Ultimately, Judah was appointed as the leader of the Hero Party—the strongest group of adventurers in existence, backed by the full support of both the guild and the empire with the sole purpose of slaying the Demon King.

Since then, Judah had led the Hero Party to victory in countless battles.

And now, having finally achieved the monumental feat of slaying the Demon King, he stood receiving the adoration of the entire empire. As the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠man who had discovered and raised him, I felt a sense of pride and fulfillment deeper than anyone else in the room.

Judah wore a thick smile as he basked in the Emperor's praise.

After concluding his lengthy address, the Emperor spoke with delight.

"Your deeds shall be remembered for generations to come. Now, Hero, as the ruler of this empire, I wish to bestow a gift upon those who saved the continent. Ask for whatever you desire. I shall grant it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. In that case, I shall speak my desire here and now."

The Hero spoke without hesitation, as if he had prepared his answer long in advance.

Curious as to what he would request, I listened closely to his words.

Usually, they ask for territory... or perhaps a noble title. If he's thinking of future political gain, he might ask to marry the Emperor's daughter... though marrying that ugly princess would be a bit much...

Even though the Emperor had promised to grant anything, there were obvious limits. It was a moment that required a careful, calculated response.

Knowing how clever Judah was, I expected him to deliver the optimal answer.

However...

"?"

In the next moment, Judah turned his gaze toward me and began to smile.

I didn't understand the meaning behind that smile at first.

But seeing the chilling malice lurking in his eyes, a sudden, ominous dread washed over me.

Then, staring directly at me, Judah spoke in a firm, resounding voice.

"What I desire is the position currently occupied by that incompetent, corrupt man standing over there. I want the position of Guild Master of the Adventurer Guild."

"W-Wait, Judah... What are you talking about...?"

For a second, I wondered if he was playing some sick joke on me.

Only this morning, Judah had been thanking me, calling me his savior.

To see him suddenly turn around and insult me in front of the Emperor was something I could hardly believe, even as I watched it happen.

But he wasn't finished.

"Throughout my time as an adventurer and the leader of the Hero Party, I have constantly wondered: why has the mighty Adventurer Guild failed to subjugate the Demon King until now? And I have finally found the answer. It was all due to the sheer incompetence of Guild Master Seton!"

"I agree. For the past several years, the Adventurer Guild has been lazy, corrupt, and utterly useless. If the Guild Master had been a competent leader, the Demon King would have been slain long ago."

"All of this is because we lacked a proper leader. We believe that if the Hero Judah, who slew the Demon King, takes the helm, he will set everything right."

"Impeach Seton immediately, Your Majesty! Hand the reins over to the Hero!"

The members of the Hero Party spoke up one after another, followed by the guild executives who had once served under me.

Only then did I realize that this was no joke. They were actively conspiring to impeach me.

"You... What are you all talking about! Why... why are you suddenly doing this to me?!"

"Silence, Seton Kailos! I'm afraid there is no one left in this room who supports a useless, corrupt old man like you."

"Ju... Judah... How dare you..."

A fierce rage boiled within me at his absurd insults.

As the Guild Master, a citizen of the empire, and a loyal subject of the Emperor, I could proudly say that I had run the Adventurer Guild without a single shred of self-interest.

Despite the constant struggles with a lack of manpower, insufficient funding, and low commission fees, I had poured my heart and soul into protecting the people from monsters.

I wanted to ensure that everyone in this land could live safely, free from the threat of monsters.

I had practically ground my bones to dust to lead the guild and uphold that belief.

Yet, Judah's words had just trampled upon my pride without mercy.

Feeling a rage that far surpassed the sting of betrayal, I opened my mouth to refute his ridiculous claims.

Right then.

"That cannot be. The Guild Master Seton I know is not such a man."

"!"

The Emperor's sudden intervention silenced the voices of my accusers.

Looking around at the assembly, the Emperor continued.

"I know very well how hard he has worked. While I understand the Hero's ambition to lead the guild, I cannot tolerate such baseless slander without proof."

"Your Majesty..."

Despite the conspiracy surrounding me, the Emperor expressed his trust. A wave of relief washed over me, making me feel that my years of loyalty had not been in vain.

But then.

"Of course, Your Majesty. We would not make such claims without reason. Anticipating this, we have prepared clear evidence. Isis."

"W-What?"

At Judah's call, Isis stepped forward from the crowd.

Seeing her—a woman with blue hair and blue eyes, my secretary and one of my closest aides—I felt as if I had been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠struck by lightning.

Isis pulled a stack of documents from her bag and handed them to the Emperor's guard.

"!...This... This is..."

As the Emperor read through the papers, his face turned deathly pale.

"How could you... I trusted you..."

"Y-Your Majesty?"

"You filthy traitor! I was a fool to trust a man like you!"

"W-What do you mean, Your Majesty? I am innocent!"

"Silence! Your seal is stamped right here on these records of embezzled funds! How dare you deny it!"

I saw my own personal seal stamped on documents I had never seen in my life. The details written inside made it look as though I had embezzled an astronomical sum of money.

Before I even realized what was happening, I had been caught in a flawless trap.

Realizing that Isis had colluded with the Hero Party to frame me, I turned to look at her. However, she merely avoided my gaze with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

"Isis... How could you..."

But before I could say anything more, the Emperor delivered his sentence in a voice thick with fury.

"Your Majesty! I am innocent! Please, look into this! Your Majesty!"

"Guards, what are you waiting for? Drag this filthy traitor out of the palace immediately! If he ever attempts to set foot inside again, execute him on the spot!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

At the Emperor's command, the knights closed in on me.

Looking at Judah, who was sneering at me from among them, my body trembled with a level of rage and betrayal I had never experienced in my entire life.

Yet, at that moment, I did not know.

That my nightmare...

Had only just begun.